Starter quiz
- What does the word 'transform' mean?
- to create
- to trick
- to change ✓
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- Which words could describe the character of Puck in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'?
- mischievous ✓
- comforting
- malevolent ✓
- serious
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- In a 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' Puck enjoys playing practical jokes. What are some of the practical jokes he plays?
- tricks Bottom into trusting him
- scares young women ✓
- makes people walk in the wrong direction ✓
- gives Titania's boy the head of a donkey
- mild physical harm, like drinks being spilled, or falling over ✓
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- In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' the character of Puck is a fairy spirit. An Elizabethan audience would be familiar with the word 'puck'. What were some of its associations?
- it was connected with the devil and evil ✓
- it was associated with relationships
- it was a term for a mischievous fairy ✓
- it was associated with fairies who served masters
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- In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', the character of Puck is also known as: Robin Goodfellow. This name was familiar to Elizabethans. What would they believe this character was like?
- helpful ✓
- evil
- mischievous ✓
- ill-natured
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- In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' what is Puck's relationship to the fairy King Oberon?
- Puck plays tricks on Oberon
- Puck is a faithful servant to Oberon ✓
- Puck is an equal to Oberon
- Puck despises Oberon
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Exit quiz
- In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' what has the character of Puck not tranformed himself into before?
- a stool
- an apple
- a horse
- a donkey ✓
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- Match the key term with the correct definition.
- folklore⇔stories and traditions that are passed down, often verbally ✓
- Elizabethan⇔a person alive when Elizabeth I was on the throne ✓
- Robin Goodfellow⇔a character connected with practical jokes and helpfulness ✓
- a puck⇔a general term for a fairy, also associated with the devil and evil ✓
- In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' Shakespeare emphasises Puck's ability to...
- transform into Robin Goodfellow.
- help match-make the Anthenian nobles.
- transform himself physically. ✓
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- In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' why does Puck speak differently to Oberon compared to other fairies?
- Puck can be more friendly with Oberon as he knows him better
- Oberon is Puck's master so Puck must be more obedient ✓
- Puck and Oberson are equals so Puck can talk down to other fairies
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- Complete the quote from Act 2 Scene 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream': "I jest to Oberon and make him..."
- 'smile' ✓
- Why might Elizabethan audiences have had different opinions of Puck throughout 'A Midsummer Night's Dream?'
- He had two different names which were associated with different ideas ✓
- He completely transforms throughout the play
- Shakespeare showed he could transform the way he spoke to different characters ✓
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Worksheet
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- In Elizabethan folklore, the word ‘puck’ meant a fairy, often one that was malicious and associated with the devil.
- In Elizabethan folklore, Robin Goodfellow was associated with a mischievous fairy who also helped with housework.
- Shakespeare emphasises Puck’s ability to transform himself physically.
- Shakespeare emphasises Puck’s ability to transform his attitude and dialogue depending on who he is talking to.
- Audiences may have different reactions to the character of Puck at different points in the play.
Common misconception
Oberon asks Puck to turn Bottom's head into that of a donkey.
Puck follows Oberon's orders, but in his own time, he gets up to his own mischief. He decides to transform Bottom and Oberon does not set out for Titania to fall in love with this particular character.
Keywords
Folklore - stories and traditions that are passed down from generation to generation; these are not written down, but told verbally
Elizabethan - a person alive when Elizabeth I was on the throne (1558-1603); the first audiences of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ were Elizabethan
Robin goodfellow - a name from Elizabethan folklore, a character connected with practical jokes and helpfulness
A puck - in Elizabethan folklore, this was a general term for a fairy, but they also associated pucks with the devil and evil deeds
Transform - change
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